Inlet tube for storage tanks and the like



July 8, 1952 o. c. GOEHRING INLET TUBE FOR STORAGE TANKS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 18, 1949 INVENTOR.

ATTOR/VE Y Patented July 8, 1952 A AND'THE L e i v, i

.Otto C. Goehring, Rego Park, N. Y. a Application October 18, 1949, serial No. 12l,915

. -1 I The present invention relates to an inlet tube for storage tanks and the like and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts herein described and "claimed.

Generally the invention comprises a tube designed to be vertically arranged in a storage tank or the like and which serves the purpose of distributing incoming fluid in such a manner that sludge or sediment normally found in the bottom of such tanks will not be disturbed by the inflow of such fluid. This is accomplished by providing in the tube several series of vertically arranged-louvers, each series comprising a circumferentially disposed row of, spaced louvers and each series being arranged in vertical spaced arrangement with the next series. Again, the louvers in each row are all directed in a certain direction while each next succeeding row is directed in an opposite direction. The tubeis provided with a rounded bottom andthe bottom itself is provided with a row of relatively smaller louvers. The total area of all of the louvers in the tube is so arranged that such combined area is greater than that of the cross sectional area of the pipe delivering fluid'thereto so that alternate general swirling currents of fluid will pass through the various louvers in lateral direction and will in a great measure counteract one another so that little, if any, disturbance is had in the fluid lying in the bottom of the tank and hence practically no disturbance of the sludge or sediment which may be contained in the bottom of the tank.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a device of the character set forth which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and yet efiective and eflicient in use.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character set forth having means for the prevention of direct downward flow of fluid emanating from an inlet pipe of a'tank.

Another object of the invention is the provision of novel means for creating counteracting currents in fluid emanating from an inlet pipe of a tank or the like.

A further object of the invention is the provision, in a device of the character set forth, of a novel arrangement of louvers, forming a part of the invention.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a novel shield forming a part of the invention.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawing, in which:

1 Claim. (Cl. 137-582) Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, of a storage tank having an embodimentof the invention mounted therein,

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevational view, partly broken away, of a device embodying the present invention,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2, I I Figure 4; is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Figure 2, v

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along -line 5-5 of Figure 2, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary elevational view, partly broken away, illustrating a shieldattachment which may be utilized as a part of the invention.

Referringmoreparticularly to the drawing, there is shown therein a storage tank 10 having an inlet fitting H in which is disposed an inlet pipe 12 which is, in turn, connected with a 'fill line l3. The tank I!) is also provided at its lower end with an outlet or discharge pipe M which may be provided with a valve l5.

The embodiment of the present invention which is illustrated herein is in the form of a vertically extending tube l6 having an outwardly flared lip I! at its upper end which lip is adapted to engage the upper surface of the fitting H to maintain the tube IS in vertically dependant position within the tank l0.

Adjacent the upper end of the tube I6 there is provided a circumferentially arranged row of louvered openings l8 which, as viewed in Figure 3, will act to direct fluid passing therethrough in a counterclockwise direction.

Immediately below the row of openings [8 is a like row of openings [9 which is 50 arranged as to deliver fluid therethrough, when viewed as in Figure 4, for example, in a clockwise direction. Immediately below the row of openings I9 is a like row of openings 20 which openings 20 are identical in all respects with the row of openings l8, that is to say, that such openings when viewed in the same direction as those indicated at l8 will likewise deliver fluid therefrom in acounterclockwise direction.

The tube 1-6 is provided with a rounded bottom 2| which is provided with a series of spaced, circumfere-ntially arranged, relatively small louvered openings 22 which are adapted to deliver, when viewed in the direction of the arrows along line 5-5 of Figure 2, in a clockwise direction. With regard to the rows of openings l8, l9 and 20, it will be understood that additional rows of such openings may be utilized where necessary or dewith fluid that such fluid will be passed through the intake pipe 12 to the interior of the tubelfi I and that it will then flow in a series of alternately To directed whirling currents from the rows of openings l8, I9 and and at the same time, a rela--' tively small amount of fluid will flow through the louvered openings 22 in a whirling current of fluid.

It will also be apparent that the currents emamating from the openings l8 will in some measure counteract the flow of fluid from the openings l9 since such flow from the openings 18 is directed counter to the flow from the openings I 9 and that the same is true with respect to the openings I 9 and 29 and also with respect to the openings 2D and 22 and that therefore any swirling motion of the fluid emanating from the various openingsis counteracted to a great degree-and with the net result that the fluidvwill emanate from the various openings in a gentle manner so that sediment or sludge which may have collected previously in the bottom of the tank Ill the tank Ill.

. While but two forms of the invention have been shown and described herein, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many minor modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A device of the character described comprising a vertically eXtending "'e'lonfg'ated tube having a closed bottom, 'a series-of"circumierentially arranged rows of vertically extending louvered openings in the walls thereof, said louvers of each or saidrowsoflouvered openings extending in a direction to deliver fluid therefrom in a horizontal direction opposite to the delivery of its adj aeentrow, said bottom having a row of relatively smaller circumferentially arranged louvered openings therein, and said row of openings in the bottom being arranged to deliver fluid in a horizontal direction opposite to the direction of flow from the adjacent row of openings in the wall of thetube, and a concave-convex bafile plate aiflxed in spaced relation to-the bottom of the tube with its concave sidenppermost.

i OTTO .c. OEHRIN V REFERENCES'CI D' 1 The following references are'of record in-the file of this patent: V

UNITED STATES PATENTS I Number I i Name I H Date- 1,408,521 Lathrop Mar. 7, 1922 1,813,554 Wickline. g-: July 7, 1931 1,8l6, 323 Gluck July.28, V1931 1,931,342 Broderick Oct. 17, 193

i. FOREIGN PATENTS I Numberv I Country 1 Date 2,449 Switzerland July 28, 1890 l37,065

Switzerland Feb. 17. 1930 

